Anatoly tries to play both sides. With his help, Argus and The Artists Formerly Known As Team Arrow discover what Diaz has planned. Laurel and Felicity have a very interesting day.

Let’s start at the end and work up. Laurel and Felicity have never been more interesting than they are this year. No character’s fundamental likability was maimed quite as badly as Felicity’s by the often turgid work she was given last season but this season? Different story. She’s driven, inventive, ruthless and desperate. The clever counterpoint between Future Felicity, possible supervillain and Present Felicity is especially well done and the final scene actually has some jeopardy to it. Plus Emily Britt-Rickards sells her final line this week like an absolute champ.

Laurel too has some great stuff as she continues to discover she really rather likes being a good guy, until she loses and can’t do anything about it. The complex interlacing of dependency and antagonism between her, Dinah and Felicity is especially good this week and a vast part of this episode is nothing but these three kickass, scarred women solving problems for one another whether they want to or not.

Team Arrow also some get some fun stuff. It’s a light Curtis week but he was on deck a lot last time. Instead we get John leading an Argus raid on a city killing weapon, Rene helping out and another nicely silent, knockdown drag out fight that would have been the big finish in an earlier year. It’s presence here is a surprise. The fact it leads to Diaz being arrested and Olly possibly released doubly so.

Which brings us to Anatoly. One of the least interesting antagonists last year gets a deserved swan song this year and is kind of adorable in a terrifying Russian way. He also leads the team and the episode into the moral grey area required and then leaves them there. This isn’t vigilante work, this isn’t Argus work and this isn’t strictly legal. What it is, however, is compelling, character-facing and top notch drama.

Now, hands up who believes Future Felicity is dead?

Nope. Me neither. 9/10

Alasdair Stuart